So there you are, just sipping your usual coffee—while at the same time, according to research, giving your memory a boost, possibly protecting against some kinds of cancer, and maybe even decreasing depression levels. Well, here's another possible health benefit to add to the list... According to a study on mice by food scientists at Cornell University, a strong antioxidant found in raw coffee—called chlorogenic acid—prevents retinal degeneration (which can lead to blindness). Researchers are still looking into how the antioxidant may protect the retina—it may help keep the delicate eye tissue filled with the high levels of oxygen it requires—but for the 83 percent of American adults who drink coffee every day, it's intriguing research. Chang Y. Lee, senior author of the study, said: “The study is important in understanding functional foods—that is, natural foods that provide beneficial health effects." Which reminds me that I skipped my morning coffee today! What do you think of this new coffee research? read more

With beach season looming (yessss!), our thoughts may naturally turn to summery things like...swimsuits. And while there are lots of great ways to change up your workout sessions to tone the various areas of our bodies that haven't been exposed to the sun in months (check out some top trainers' favorite moves), there's also a super-neat trick that will help you not only look good in that bikini—it'll help you feel good too. Brooke Siler, owner of re:AB Pilates Studio in New York City, says that posture plays a huge role. "Good posture helps cure many ills, including poor digestion, poor circulation, diminished breathing capacity, and overall aesthetics," she says. "It takes the weight off your lower back, out of your hips, knees, and ankles, and narrows your waistline. Good posture can also affect your mood for the better—you'll feel more confident and positive." Brooke says that concentrating on your posture regularly can also help train your muscles. "Trying to align yourself from the ground up—ankles, knees, hips, shoulders—will help develop some underused musculature and change the way you stand," she says. "The key is awareness. Look in a mirror and note what you see. Are you standing up tall read more

Making a list of all the things you want to accomplish or experience before you die sounds a little macabre—when, really, it's anything but. Research has shown that taking a few minutes to write down just three good things about your day can do a world of good in busting stress and boosting happiness levels. The same principle applies to a bucket list! Writing one gives you the chance to think about your goals and the things you enjoy (or think you could enjoy)—and brainstorming these things, and how you'll actually accomplish them, bolsters your creativity too. So what does one put on a bucket list, anyway? Eventbrite, the world's largest event marketplace, conducted a survey of 2,366 registered U.S. users over the age of 18 and discovered that the must-dos seem to be many! Take a look: 53 percent: Travel to every continent 44 percent: Write a book 44 percent: Fall in love and get married 40 percent: Visit all 50 states 37 percent: Go on safari 31 percent: Go to a concert featuring a favorite artist/band 26 percent: Go sky-diving 23 percent: Run a marathon 21.3 percent: Throw a dart at a world map and go wherever it read more

Today is Melanoma Monday—not exactly an occasion to break out the cakes and party times but definitely a time to learn more about the most serous type of skin cancer with which about 77,000 people in the United States are diagnosed every year, according to Dr. Richard Bezozo, president of MoleSafe, an advanced melanoma screening and surveillance program that combines total-body photography, digital dermoscopy, and digital serial monitoring. And here's an even scarier stat: One person dies every 57 minutes because of melanoma. So, with that in mind, let's take a look at some of the surprising things that you might not have known about this deadly cancer—and, on the upside, some good ways of decreasing your risk. 1: Melanoma can occur any time of the year. "The lack of warmth in the winter does not suggest that your skin is safe from the sun and hence does not reduce the chance of developing melanoma," says Bezozo. In fact, during the winter, UV rays are intense on clear and cloudy days. "Due to the sun’s reflections off the snow and conditions that occur at high altitudes, be sure to apply a sunscreen that blocks UVA and UVB radiation when you read more

Haylie Duff has lots of reasons to celebrate these days. Not only did she just get engaged to Matt Rosenberg she also has a new series, Real Girl's Kitchen, which airs online on ora.tv and will premiere on the Cooking Channel next month. Haylie wrote a cookbook (also called The Real Girl's Kitchen) and has long been a fan of heading to farmers' markets for fresh ingredients and food inspiration. She came up with this yummy, summer-inspired recipe for you guys to give a whirl: Haylie's Watermelon and Feta Salad 1 seedless watermelon 1 8-ounce block of feta a few mint leaves olive oil to garnish balsamic vinegar to garnish sea salt Cut watermelon and feta into cubes of matching sizes. Sprinkle with mint. Drizzle the oil and vinegar. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt. And here's a clip of Haylie on Real Girl's Kitchen, putting the recipe into action: It looks delish! Would you give it a try? read more

When Wendy Landes was diagnosed with liposarcoma in 2008, her—and her family's—life turned upside down. They searched for support, but found that there wasn't much out there—liposarcoma, a cancer of the fat cells, is both incurable and rare. But it was this very feeling of being alone that spurred the family to action. That's why they created the Wendy Walk, a series of annual nationwide walks, to honor Wendy and underscore her motto—that positive attitude, physical activity, love, and support can do anything. Wendy even participated in the walks until she, very sadly, passed away in March 2013. Since the inception of the walks, Wendy's three children—along with friends, family, and supporters—have raised more than $2 million for liposarcoma research through the Liddy Shriver Sarcoma Initiative, and the walks have blossomed to include other events, like cocktail parties, in cities across the country. This weekend, Angelenos, you have the chance to participate: The Wendy Walk is happening in Los Angeles on May 4. To learn more about liposarcoma and meet Wendy, be sure to check out this hugely touching video (love the part when she says: "I don't think staying in bed is good for anyone.... When I feel strong read more

If you're suffering from allergies this spring, you're not alone—an estimated 40 million Americans deal with seasonal allergies. And while most of the symptoms are usually attributed to blooming flowers and tree pollen, there are some yucky indoor critters that can make you feel itchy and sneezy, too. According to Orkin, certain pests get more active during the spring, stirring up allergens as they do so. Here are some symptoms (and solutions!) to keep on your radar: Cockroaches: They basically hibernate during the cold months of winter, but wake up when temperatures get warmer. Their saliva, bodies, and feces carry allergens that can be transmitted through the air, dust, or direct contact with the insect (gaah!). Reactions include: Mildly itchy skin, scratchy throat, itchy eyes and nose, and could possibly even trigger asthma in kids. Make them go away: Clean up all crumbs, fix drippy faucets or any other water source, and seal cracks and crevices both inside and outside your house. And if you find roach poop, vacuum and clean the area with warm water and soap—that can help lessen allergic reactions. Rodents: Pink little noses and quivering whiskers can be cute (looking at you, tiny hamster eating tiny read more

It's time to add a new (and rather unexpected) body part to your workout routine: your feet! You'll love the reason. According to Brooke Siler, owner of re:AB Pilates Studio in New York City, toning your feet actually helps tone your legs too. "Without a solid foundation from your feet, the building above will always look shoddy," she says. "The more you work the intrinsic (deep) muscles of the foot and ankle, the less your glutes and flexors need to work to stabilize you. The sooner they're freed up from doing the work of the feet and ankles, the sooner—and more efficiently—they can be trained and shaped into the glam gams you're looking for!" Take a look at some of the moves Brooke recommends for working your feet (and, thus, your legs): The 2 x 4: Repeat sequence three times; then reverse the sequence and repeat another three times. Track the movement of your feet and ankles as high up your body as you can. (You can also do this exercise without a board or step!) 1: Stand with the balls of your feet on a raised surface (like a 2x4 or a stair step or yoga block). 2: Lift read more

OK, so what do you think is going on in this pic that Hilary Duff recently tweeted? Just a little healthy competition @whitneyacummings @brb082985 thought I could handle the extra hand weight😛 @r... pic.twitter.com/4lIuVXykna— Hilary Duff (@HilaryDuff) April 30, 2014 If you answered, "Why, that seems to be a photo of Hilary pulling her trainer on a sled during her workout," you are 100 percent correct. Apparently, Hilary's pal—comedian Whitney Cummings—posted a similar pic just a few days before, dragging along the same 185-pound trainer: ...and the result was some friendly competition! Still, the question remains: What does this particular exercise do? It's a takeoff of a move that some football players do, where they drag tires or weighted sleds that targets the core, hip, thigh, and leg muscles in order to build strength and increase running speed. (Obviously, to pull this off—heh!—you need proper supervision so that you don't hurt yourself. I'm thinking you can't just put your boyfriend on a sled and drag him around!) Have you ever tried anything like this? read more

Well, this is unfortunate news: No matter how relaxed you might be, if you're simply around someone who's stressed out, you might get stressed too. A new study from the Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences and the Technische Universitat Dresden has revealed that being in the presence of someone who's feeling stress—a stranger or a loved one—can make you exhibit physiological signs of stress too. The researchers paired subjects with both loved ones and strangers of the opposite sex, and divided them into groups. The first group was given tough math questions and underwent interviews, while the other group acted as observers—they just watched the happenings through a one-way mirror or via video. The group performing the tests and interviews showed lots of signs of stress—naturally! But 26 percent of the people who were just observing the goings-on showed a marked increase of the stress hormone cortisol. The observers' stress was especially high when they were watching romantic partners in stressful situations (about 40 percent), but it was evident when they were watching strangers undergoing stress, to (about 10 percent). We're empathetic creatures! And according Veronika Engert, one of the study’s authors, our empathy doesn't stop there: read more

Chances are good that most of us have pulled the occasional all-nighter trying to cram for a test. But what about cramming for a race—is it possible? That's what reader Shannon wants to know! She writes: "I signed up to run a 5K race about six weeks ago, figuring I'd have plenty of time to train. And, while I've been exercising regularly, I haven't adhered to my training plan nearly as well as I should have! I have a few weeks left to try and pull this off without hurting myself. Can I do it?" Shannon's question is of special interest to me at this exact moment time—I'm basically in her (running) shoes. I have to run a 10K soon, and I've not been super great about sticking to the training schedule. So I asked the fitness experts at Greatist—after all, they created this neat user-friendly training guide for anyone interested in running a 5K. First: Well, it's not really possible to cram weeks' and months' worth of training into a few weeks (or days!). Amping up your workouts in the preceding days could actually leave you more at risk for injury during the event. But there are a few read more

Fiber! The word alone may make you think about constipation commercials. But it's an important thing that we all need in our diets—and now, new research is suggesting that eating enough of it may help boost heart health and even provide extra protection from diseases. New findings published on BMJ.com found that heart attack survivors who ate the most fiber had a 25 percent lower chance of dying nine years later, as opposed to people who ate less. And for every extra 10 grams of fiber consumed each day was linked to a 15 percent lower risk of dying over the study period, on average. But the study also suggests that fiber may help protect against other conditions—mostly, because the people who were studied seemed to have lower risks of dying from any cause, not just those related to their heart. It could also help lower the risk of colon cancer, regulate blood sugar levels, and maybe even combat obesity (since eating fiber makes you feel fuller, lowering the chances you'll overeat). Adult women under the age of 50 should aim to incorporate about 25 grams of fiber into their diets. And you probably already know one of the top read more

I woke up at 4:29 A.M. this morning and absolutely could not get back to sleep. What's that about? And does anything like it ever happen to you? If it does, or if you're simply feeling the need for some extra zzz's—which is the case for some 40 million Americans who suffer from chronic sleep issues—new research shows that a few daily glasses of this kind of juice just might provide some relief. The answer? Tart cherry juice! A new study from Louisiana State University found that older adults who drank a glass of the sour stuff in the morning and then another one in the evening over a period of two weeks increased their sleep time by almost 90 minutes. Why? Tart cherries are a natural source of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep. The researchers also think that the red pigments in the juice—known as proanthocyanidins—help increase the availability of your body's tryptophan, which proceeds serotonin and helps with sleep. Of course, tart cherry juice is a taste that not everyone necessarily enjoys—it can certainly make you pull a pucker-face—but, since, experts say that it's preferable that you try more natural aids before trying medicines, there are read more

I'm always on the lookout for great workout music—and this could certainly make the search a lot easier. Fitness experts have often said that songs with a certain BPM—beats per minute—are optimal fat-burners. The magic number: 130. Runtastic and Universal Music have worked together with smart health experts to find the songs that fall exactly into that category. The resulting list is compiled here—and, I have to say, it includes some awesome heart-pumpers, like "#thatPOWER" by Will.i.Am and Justin Beiber, and Avicii's "You Make Me." Each download also includes a 5K and 10K power mix (which I actually really need for my 10K this coming Saturday—I'm totally nervous about it!). How do you find your perfect workout song? read more

First came the research that people who live at higher altitudes may live longer than those living at low ones. Now, a new study is suggesting that those high-altitude dwellers may also have a decreased risk for obesity—mostly, because they seem to have less of an appetite than low-altitude livers. According to the new research—published in PLoS One—living at high altitudes may suppress your appetite by increasing the amount of leptin and other hormones that are responsible for the feeling of hunger. The study focused on nearly 100,000 overweight U.S. Army and Air Force servicemen and women for six years, a time period during which they moved between assignments at high altitudes (1.2 miles above sea level, or higher) and low altitudes (.6 miles or lower). Those who served at high altitudes had a 41 percent lower risk of becoming obese than the ones serving at low altitudes—suggesting that the higher altitudes may help in curbing appetites and keeping obesity at bay. (Earlier studies have also suggested that obesity rates are four times higher in low-altitude locations than in high-altitude ones.) Naturally, there's still a lot more study to be done, but it does give researchers some...well, you know. Food read more

As much as I love lazy weekends, they really don't happen that often—there's too much to do! I mean, it's all good to-do stuff (usually. I wish I never had to go to home-improvement stores, but hey)...but it all still means keeping those energy levels high. So I was excited when Beaming sent over these three recipes for yummy, protein-filled smoothies, perfect for keeping your energy levels high for your very full days—whatever they may hold. Beaming Basic High Protein Smoothie 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (boxed or homemade) 6 to 8 raw almonds 1 date (pit removed) 1/2 fresh or frozen banana 2 tbsp. Beaming Superfood Plant Protein Powder (with or without greens) 1 to 2 tbsp. raw cacao powder (optional for a chocolate version) Dash of cinnamon Handful of ice Blend in high speed blender for 20 to 30 seconds or until smooth. Feel free to add in your favorite berries—blueberries, raspberries, strawberries—or the superfood of your choice (spinach is always a good one!). Energizing Smoothie 1 cup unsweetened almond milk (organic boxed or homemade) 1/2 cup coconut water 1 tbsp. almond butter 1/2 fresh or frozen banana Handful of spinach (optional) 2 tbsp. Beaming Superfood Plant Protein read more

As much as I love running outside, or heading to the gym for fun fitness classes, there are the days I'd really rather just stay home. And that's just one of the reasons I loved trying out the Da Vinci BodyBoard—you can get in a whole workout...while still in your jammies (always a plus, in my estimation)! This cool device is the brainchild of Floery Mahoney, a fitness-minded mom who understands the challenges of getting in a workout on busy days—which is why she created the board in order to deliver full-body workout in 20 minutes a day. Made with Vermont-crafted Baltic birch wooden platform, the board includes five levels of resistance bands, and a tension core workout system that forces your abs to be the conduit between your upper and lower body (essentially: your tummy gets a huge workout). But what's especially cool is that you can bring your Pilates and yoga workouts to the device, or use it as a cross-training tool. (Also, it's really thin, so it's easy to slide under your couch for storage when you're done.) Take a look at the BodyBoard in action (Floery says that doing these moves, 20 minutes a day, will read more

If you really think about where those dollar bills have been—which I try not to do because blech—it makes total sense that they're carriers of germs. But the results of a new study showed just how many kinds of bacteria cash can harbor...the sheer volume is mind-boggling. And the types of conditions are associated with those bacteria? Wow. Let's just say it gives me the heebie-jeebies to see this woman holding money so close to her mouth. Researchers from New York University's Center for Genomics and Systems Biology examined dollar bills from a bank in Manhattan and found that they carried 3,000 different types of bacteria. Some of the bacteria were microbes that are found on the skin, while others were varieties from mouths and even from...well, vaginas. (I don't even know.) Most of the bacteria were associated with conditions such as acne, but other microbes were the kinds that cause scary, antibiotic-resistant illnesses such as MRSA. Also, the bacteria tended to vary from season to season; pneumonia bacteria were more prevalent on bills during the winter months. Jane Carlton, lead investigator for the study, told ABC News: "We are finding viable bacteria that can be taken from paper currency.... read more

The health benefits of laughter are many—it may protect against heart disease, decrease stress levels, and even alleviate pain—and now, there's even more evidence that a good belly laugh can truly do your body good. Researchers from Loma Linda University studied 20 healthy adults in their sixties and seventies. For the study, one group was asked to sit silently—no talking, eating, or fiddling on their cell phones. The other group watched funny videos. After 20 minutes, both groups were given memory tests and asked to provide saliva samples. The people who watched videos had lower levels of the stress hormone cortisone and also performed better on the memory tests. You know what that means? Funny videos are good for you! OK, that's a completely unscientific conclusion. But it does give us the chance to look at some giggle-inducing things from YouTube, right? I will never, ever not laugh at Bad Lip Reading's "La Fway," featuring Beyonce: Or BLR's Game of Thrones "Medieval Fun-Time World" trailer, for that matter: Bored Shorts TV's "Kid Snippets" are grown-ups hilariously acting out stories that kids describe (with new episodes every week). The newest features Josh Groban: And an oldie but goodie from 2012—but I'll read more

Ryan Lewis just revealed that his mother, Julie, has been HIV-positive for the past 30 years—and that he founded the 30/30 Project (with the help of Macklemore), a nonprofit to raise money for worldwide affordable health care. My friends and family, I am pleased to share with you #The3030Project https://t.co/ZIzz3nYagO pic.twitter.com/87sOQnYBm3— Ryan Lewis (@RyanLewis) April 22, 2014 On the 30/30 Project's Indiegogo fund-raising page, Ryan wrote: "A huge part of what's made me who I am, is something I haven't talked about in interviews. If I could just take a few moments of your time, I'd love to tell you about the strongest woman that I know, my mom, Julie Lewis. "In 1984, my mom gave birth to my older sister, Teresa. Due to a complicated delivery, she needed a blood transfusion, and at that moment, my mom had HIV+ blood put into her body. When she was finally diagnosed, she was given only a few years to live. By that time, she had already given birth to my sister Laura and me. We each had a 25 percent chance of being born HIV+, but we were extremely fortunate (today, the risk of a mother passing HIV to her baby read more